Chronic Disease Prevention Resources

SB 380 (Wright, Chapter 236, Statutes of 2011) required the Medical Board of California (Board) to convene a working group of interested parties to discuss nutrition and lifestyle behavior for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. The working group meeting was held July 2013. This bill also required the Board to periodically disseminate information and educational material regarding the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

The purpose of this webpage is to provide a clearinghouse of information and resources for physicians and consumers regarding chronic disease prevention through nutrition and lifestyle behavior changes.

Understanding the Obesity Epidemic

• How did the entire world get this fat this fast? A user-friendly look at the science behind widespread weight increases experienced over the past 30 years. Learn where this problem is headed and how to make meaningful changes.

Is Vaping Healthier than Smoking?

• Find out why or why not. The jury is still out about whether e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking, and/or whether they act as a gateway to smoking tobacco, especially for teens. Concerns have been raised about chemicals used to flavor e-cigarettes and serious injuries caused by exploding e-cigarettes.

Pouring Out Some Problems

• See why water is a healthier beverage choice than sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened teas and sugar-added juice drinks. Nearly half the added sugar (as opposed to naturally-occurring sugars in fruits and milk) in U.S. diets comes from sugary drinks.

Additional Resources

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• American Cancer Society
• American Diabetes Association
• American Heart Association
• American Lung Association
• American Sleep Apnea Association
• American Stroke Association
• Arthritis Foundation
• CDPH’s Wellness Plan 2014
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Center for Science in the Public Interest
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Foundation
• Guide to Community Preventive Services
• The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (Physicians)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - healthfinder.gov
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Guide to Clinical Preventive Services
• Federal Government Nutrition Information
• Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force Final Report
• National Institute of Mental Health
• National Institutes of Health
• Nutrition CME Information (Physicians)
• Obesity Action Coalition
• Physicians’ Committee for Responsible Medicine (Physicians)
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - health.gov
• U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
• USDA Choose My Plate
• World Health Organization

Healthy Living Archived Presentation Materials

• Let's Get Healthy California Task Force Report and California Wellness Plan
  Ron Chapman, MD, MPH, State Health Officer and Director, California Department of Public Health - July 24, 2014
• Promoting Physician Vitality Across the Career
  Barbara Hernandez, PhD, Loma Linda University
• Building a Social Movement Around Health and Wellness: The UCLA Healthy Campus Initiative
  Michael S. Goldstein, PhD, Associate Vice Provost, UCLA, Professor, Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA

Let us know what you think

Was this resource helpful? Please e-mail your comments and questions to the Board's Public Information Officer, Susan Wolbarst.